A Norwegian musician and alleged sympathiser of mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik was arrested on Tuesday as French authorities suspected he could be planning "a large terrorist act".

The Paris prosecutor's office identified him as Kristian "Varg" Vikernes, a neo-Nazi who earned notoriety in the 90s after he was convicted of the manslaughter of a fellow band member. The French interior ministry said he was arrested at his house in rural central France.

Vikernes' French wife, Marie Cachet, had recently acquired four rifles and was also arrested. Police said Vikernes' violent internet postings were proof he posed a potential threat.

Vikernes, 40, was known in Norwegian heavy metal circles in the early 90s under the stage name Count Grishnackh.

In 1994 he was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the manslaughter of Mayhem band member Oystein Aarseth. He was released from prison in 2009. He has continued to record under the name Burzum.

Authorities described Vikernes as a "sympathiser" of Breivik who received his manifesto accusing Muslims of destroying European society.

On his blog Vilkernes admits reading the manifesto, but appears to distance himself from Breivik and at one point refers to him as a "nutcase".